The expansion of the British empire to the US and Canada insofar as it was a colonial empire in which the British sought the raw materials of the 13 colonies and of the colony of Canada, it was an unequal relationship whose primary purpose was the enrichment of the British merchants and lords at the expense of the colonists who were reduced to suppliers of only what the British wanted not what the colonies needed to become truly independent. While alliances were formed with First Nations groups these were mainly to further their own narrow interests rather than benefit the First Nations.